A pair of Pittsburgh-based breweries are teaming up to debut an all-new summer beer festival that underscores their shared love of saison and mixed culture beer, while also celebrating the diverse community of beer-loving people.
Pittsburgh Mixed Culture will take place on Saturday, July 30 at Freedom Farms Event Center (Valencia, PA). The festival is co-hosted by Cinderlands Beer Co and Trace Brewing–two young, adventurous breweries who are committed to Belgian brewing traditions and aim to share that love with their city and region.
Attendees can expect to try samples from an incredible roster of breweries that make world-class examples of these fermentation-forward styles. Pittsburgh Mixed Culture shines a spotlight on the complementary roles of brewer and nature in making mixed-fermentation beer. Hosting the festival at Freedom Farms showcases quite literally an active, family-owned farm–one that supplies the fruit for Cinderlands’ foederbier. Thus far, the brewery list represents 19 states and two countries.
Just as important as the beer is the festival’s focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Pittsburgh Mixed Culture festival is offering free table and booth space to a number of Pittsburgh-area organizations, including The Pittsburgh Brewery Diversity Council, Barrel & Flow Festival, True T Pittsburgh, SisTers Pittsburgh, and Pittsburgh Restaurant Workers Aid (PRWA). These organizations will also help the festival in marketing and outreach to get the invitation out beyond craft beer’s well-worn boundaries.
During craft beer’s #MeToo moment last year, we all learned that festivals demand an active and engaged effort to put safety and respect first. To help ensure that festival attendees have a positive and fun experience, Pittsburgh Mixed Culture is partnering with Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (PAAR) on training sessions for all festival staff, vendors and participating breweries to be equipped with techniques and skills that are at the cornerstone of a safe, harassment-free experience. PAAR will also facilitate a well-being station on the festival grounds that guests can use to check out of the festival setting and get help if they need it. Pittsburgh Mixed Culture is also contracting with the #NotMe app for anonymous reporting of instances of dangerous behavior, harassment, and assault. The festival’s Designated Driver (DD) support area will offer coffee and non-alcoholic beverages to encourage DDs to safely participate during the day’s festivities.
The festival itself will feature two sessions, capped at roughly 800 guests per session, with a VIP tier available as well as a shuttle service. As of May 2, there are 42 breweries committed to pour at Pittsburgh Mixed Culture. Organizers expect the total number of breweries to land at closer to 50 as a handful more sign-on to participate. Tickets are now on sale here.
The complete brewery list is as follows:
| Ale Apothecary (Eugene, OR) | Hacienda Beer Co (Baileys Harbor, WI) |
| Afterthought Brewing (Lombard, IL) | is/was brewing (Chicago, IL) |
| Alesong Brewing (Eugene, OR) | Narrow Gauge Brewing Company (Florissant, MO) |
| Allagash Brewing (Portland, ME) | Necromancer Brewing (Pittsburgh, PA) |
| Altered Genius Brewing Co. (Ambridge, PA) | New Belgium Brewing Company (Fort Collins, CO) |
| Birds Fly South Ale Project (Greenville, SC) | Noble Creature Cask House (Youngstown, OH) |
| Breakside Brewery (Portland, OR) | Old Thunder Brewing Company (Pittsburgh, PA) |
| Brewery Vivant (Grand Rapids, MI) | Perennial Artisan Ales (St. Louis, MO) |
| Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen (Beersel, Belgium) | Ploughman Cider (Aspers, PA) |
| Burial Beer Co (Asheville, NC) | Remnant Brewing (Somerville, MA) |
| Casey Brewing & Blending (Glenwood Springs, CO) | Solemn Oath Brewery (Naperville, IL) |
| Cinderlands Beer Co (Pittsburgh, PA) | Stick City Brewing (Mars, PA) |
| Commonwealth Brewing Co (Virginia Beach, VA) | Strange Roots Experimental Ales (Pittsburgh, PA) |
| Coven Brewing (Pittsburgh, PA) | Supermoon Beer Company (Milwaukee, WI) |
| Creature Comforts Brewing Co (Athens, GA) | Sway Brewing & Blending (Door County, WI) |
| Crooked Run Fermentation (Sterling, VA) | The Referend Bier Blendery (Kutztown, PA) |
| Dwinell Country Ales (Goldendale, WA) | Trace Brewing (Pittsburgh, PA) |
| Fair Isle Brewing (Seattle, WA) | Von Ebert Brewing (Portland, OR) |
| Fonta Flora Brewery (Morganton, NC) | Wander Brewing (Bellingham, WA) |
| Forest & Main (Ambler, PA) | Zero Gravity Brewery (Burlington, VT) |
| Garden Path Fermentation (Skagit Valley, WA) | Zillicoah Beer Co (Woodfin, NC) |
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Any brewery additions will be announced on Instagram at @pghmixedculture.
